What are the risks of radioiodine treatment?
In the past fifty years, over one million people with hyperthyroidism have been treated with radioiodine-131, and, to date, no known side effects have occurred. The frequency of thyroid cancer, leukemia or other types of cancer is not increased after the administration of radioiodine-131. Infertility is not increased by treatment, nor has there been an increase in birth defects in children of women who have been treated. Few medications or treatments used in medicine have a better safety record than radioiodine-131.
